


Kids With a Dream

by swanglade37



Series: Kids With a Dream (Band AU) [1]
Category: Keeper of the Lost Cities Series - Shannon Messenger
Genre: All Human, Alternate Universe, Amy is Natalie, Amy is not Sophie's sister, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, F/M, Fluff, No Lyrics, Not Beta Read, Parent Issues, Pining (one sided), Song titles only, band au
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-22
Updated: 2020-10-22
Packaged: 2021-03-08 19:29:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 9,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27141793
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/swanglade37/pseuds/swanglade37
Summary: In which Fitz (guitar, songwriter), Keefe (drums, vocals), Biana (piano, vocals), and Sophie (songwriter) form a band and change the world one song at a time.albums only; prose and plot will come at a later date
Relationships: Biana Vacker/Tam Song (background), Dex Dizznee & Sophie Foster, Keefe Sencen/Natalie Freeman, Sophie Foster & Biana Vacker, Sophie Foster & Fitz Vacker & Biana Vacker & Keefe Sencen, Sophie Foster & Keefe Sencen, Sophie Foster/Fitz Vacker
Series: Kids With a Dream (Band AU) [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1981228
Comments: 5
Kudos: 8





	1. Keepers (EP)

**Keepers (EP) (2022)**

**Certified gold. Looking back, it’s hard to believe this is where the Kids started out. Six simple songs and a bonus track that would never be part of any album or compilation. Sophie Foster was just learning to write songs, Fitz Vacker mostly played covers, Biana Vacker was only known in the classical music scene, and Keefe Sencen was just another college dropout. Still anyone could see their obvious talent on still-impressive tracks** **_Summer Storms, Winter in July_ ** **, and** **_This Is Eliza_ ** **. They really were just Kids With a Dream.**

* * *

“ _ New Around Here _ ” || 3:42 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ ||  Bubbly pop-rock ditty; Biana takes lead vocals, supported by Keefe; Fitz complements both on guitar

_ Trivia _ : The fourth song that Sophie ever wrote, and the first song the band ever released; purportedly written about her adoption by Grady and Edaline Ruewen

* * *

“ _ Lovely and Nice _ ” || 2:58 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ ||  Simple chord structure and unsarcastic lyrics about the good things in life; Biana’s voice fits the song perfectly

_ Trivia _ : Written with Dex Dizznee (uncredited), Sophie’s adoptive cousin and best friend; the first of many collaborations with him

* * *

“ _ Summer Storms _ ” || 3:23 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ ||  Emotional song with surprisingly hard-to-hit vocals; shows off Biana’s range

_ Trivia _ : Despite the title, the song is not overly sad or turbulent; music pundit Wylie Endal praised it for its message

* * *

“ _ Hey, You’re Cute _ ” || 3:41||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ ||  Bubbly pop track; lyrics talk about being young and meeting someone who you think could be the one; Keefe and Biana trade off vocals

_ Trivia _ : The band revealed years after this song was released in an interview that it was written as a dare, and they only added it because kind of fit the message of the EP; Sophie has admitted that she is neither overly fond nor overly proud of this track

* * *

“ _ Winter In July _ ” || 4:02 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ ||  Slightly darker tone; Biana adds a touch of grief with deeply emotional vocals; Fitz shows off his guitar skills; the band’s first number one hit song

_ Trivia _ : At the time, the band debated for days whether to release this song or the one that would precede it on the EP; Keefe eventually suggested they ask Sophie what she thought, and as she was for it, it was released as a single

* * *

“ _ This Is Eliza _ ” || 3:58 ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker  _ ||  Return to the more cheerful tone of the rest of the EP; Biana’s vocals, while slightly mischievous, contain just enough seriousness to convey how much she means every word; Fitz’s guitar playing is even more on point than usual

_ Trivia _ : Played at every show for their first three tours and brought back for their last tour; starts the tradition of Fitz penning the last song of every album; although not immediately obvious, written about Sophie Foster and how much she means to the band

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Make It Yours _ ” || 3:14 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ ||  Soft, heartwarming sound; quiet, rhythmic guitar; light drumline 

_ Trivia _ : Like many of the band’s other early songs, written about the first weeks Sophie spent with Grady and Edaline Ruewen 


	2. Exile

**Exile (2023)**

**Certified gold. First full-length album; already the difference is evident as Foster starts pushing the boundaries of what’s allowed on an album and what should stay within the pages of her songbook. The line between singer and musician is crossed for the first time as the band experiments with who should sing (Biana Vacker and Keefe Sencen), who shouldn’t (Fitz Vacker), and who won’t (Sophie Foster). The sass and sarcasm on songs like** **_Not For Me_ ** **and certified platinum single** **_Call You What?_ ** **, is contrasted by most of the album’s focus on life’s tragedies, like illness (** **_Alone_ ** **), heartbreak (** **_Bandaids Only Do So Much_ ** **,** **_Fly Me Away From Here_ ** **), and the struggle to trust (** **_Dark Inside_ ** **).**

* * *

“ _ Alone _ ” || 3:31 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Sad guitar opening; Biana’s vocals, while spot on, contain a level of grief new to the band’s repertoire; no drums present, but cymbals crash at different points throughout

_ Trivia _ : Penned during Alden Vacker’s cancer treatment; both Fitz and Biana have said in interviews that they feel immense guilt for how they treated their friends during their father’s treatment; all Sophie will say about the track is that it was influenced by many things

* * *

“ _ Bandaids Only Do So Much _ ” || 4:09 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || At the time, the most openly angry track the band had released; lyrics talk about the anger one feels at the end of a relationship, whether it’s romantic or platonic; hard drum line

_ Trivia _ : The only song the band has ever released with unknown inspiration; conspiracy sites theorize that this song was not written by Sophie at all, hence the silence about it; the members of the band have neither confirmed nor denied this theory

* * *

“ _ Better _ ” || 4:41 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Clashing cymbals and banging drums make this track a powerful anthem; Biana’s vocals are desperate, but confident; Fitz’s guitar takes on a life of its own

_ Trivia _ : First time Dex Dizznee was credited on an Everglen song; originally written for a college friend’s film project that was turned into four short films, and then eventually dropped altogether; Sophie found the lyrics while packing up her college apartment and gave them to Biana

* * *

“ _ Fly Me Away From Here _ ” || 5:19 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Keefe Sencen _ || Similar to the previous track, the instrumentation here is powerful; close listeners realize that the vocals and the drums never overlap; Biana becomes a vocal powerhouse with this track; ends with ten seconds of true sobbing

_ Trivia _ : Inspired by Keefe’s childhood, and his parents’ eventual divorce when he was a teenager; Biana has stated that she feels it is the saddest song they have ever released

* * *

“ _ Gonna Get There _ ” || 4:26 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Slow song; almost leisurely plucking of guitar strings and hitting of drums; Biana’s vocals take the listener to a whole different place

_ Trivia _ : Sophie wrote the song the morning before her high school graduation; she has stated that she was feeling unusually peaceful at the time, and decided to write a song

* * *

“ _ Summer Fall _ ” || 3:13 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || The previous song goes right into this one; the fast-paced, fun sound is meant to be jarring, as the previous track lulled the listeners into silence and peace; written for the party scene

_ Trivia _ : Intentionally placed in the middle of the album to distract from its general depressing sound; also serves as a midway point, as the album’s tone shifts to less obvious pain

* * *

“ _ Call You What? _ ” || 4:21 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Sassy pop-rock tune; lyrics tell the story of a girl who takes none of the crap she’s being thrown by the guys she’s set up with; guitar is less playful, but still light-hearted; drums tie the song together

_ Trivia _ : Written based on Sophie’s own experiences with being set up by well-meaning friends in college

* * *

“ _ Happy For You (feat. Marella Redek) _ ” ||  _ Released As Single  _ || 4:34 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with raucous, indiscernible noise, then fades into melodic run of notes; Biana takes background vocals while Marella sings lead

_ Trivia _ : The label wanted a feature track, so Keefe suggested Marella Redek; Marella and the band all attended school together, and she and Sophie had once been very close friends

* * *

“ _ Not For Me _ ” || 4:01 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Sassy, upbeat track, with cutting lyrics and viciousness disguised by fun guitar and enthusiastic drums, a common theme for the album

_ Trivia _ : While not commenting on this track specifically, Keefe said in one interview that the amount of songs that hid negativity on the album was intended as a direct jab at Sophie’s tendency to pretend she was fine when that couldn’t be further from the truth by the rest of the band

* * *

“ _ Everybody, Everything _ ” || 3:48 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || An acapella track showcasing Biana’s impressive range; when performed live, it’s even more impressive, as Biana chose her favorite people from both the industry and her childhood to sing with her, and she brings in random crowd members to sing their parts when in concert

_ Trivia _ : The track was written the night before Sophie left for college, when she was feeling her most panicked about things changing; the chorus and final refrains were taken from the conversation with her parents that calmed her down

* * *

“ _ Dark Inside _ ” || 4:56 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with a dramatic cymbal crash; only track the band ever released where the instrumentation is done by hired musicians, as both Fitz and Keefe support Biana vocally on this track

_ Trivia _ : While Sophie has said nothing about the emotion in this track, she has said that the content came from numerous times she wanted to tell people things, but couldn’t work up the nerve to do it

* * *

“ _ Old Fashioned Like That _ ” || 4:08 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Return to the sound the band presented in their EP; lyrics paint a picture of a young, happy couple; Biana’s piano helps this track shine; ends with an uncredited child singing ‘Rain, Rain, Go Away’

_ Trivia _ : The first time Biana revealed that she had taken piano lessons for ten years was in an interview following the release of this song; the identity of the child has never been revealed

* * *

“ _ It’s Gonna Be Okay _ ” || 3:41 ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker _ || Soothing, slow guitar; intermittent drums; gentle, warm vocals and piano playing; although Keefe assists Biana with vocals, he is primarily the drummer in this track; true antithesis to the opening track

_ Trivia _ : Written after the band’s second rejection by labels they auditioned for; Biana has said that she was very down and upset following that session, and it took over two hours for her to calm down

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ If I’m Gonna Do This _ ” || 4:01 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee  _ || Upbeat song hiding heartbreaking lyrics; piano solo; intermittently cuts out, only to cut back in a half second later

_ Trivia _ : Sophie and Dex wrote the song the day before Sophie left for college; Fitz debuted the instrumentation in a solo interview and the full song was first played at a show on their  _ Exile _ tour


	3. Everblaze

**Everblaze (2025)**

**Certified platinum. Commonly referred to as the most prophetic part of the Kids discography, Kids With a Dream’s second album is the first to aspire for the heights future projects would surpass. All of Foster and Dizznee’s emotions are on display and it is here that two of their most iconic collaborations (** **_Nineteen_ ** **and** **_Getaway Driver_ ** **) were first released into the world. Vacker demonstrates some of his most impressive melodies (** **_Redwood Tree, Built to Last, Always Been There_ ** **) and Vacker and Sencen trade off on mindblowing vocals and instrumentation throughout the whole project.**

* * *

“ _ I’ll Be Here _ ” || 4:36 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Storytelling lyrics talking about always being the best friend and never the girlfriend; midrange guitar playing

_ Trivia _ : Sophie almost didn’t show these lyrics to the rest of the band; the narrator and the subject of the song have never been revealed, but considering Sophie and Fitz’s long-time-coming relationship, it’s assumed the song is about him

* * *

“ _ Love (And Also War) _ ” || 3:43 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster, Jensi Babblos and Hexting _ || Repetitive strumming of the guitar; rough, nonsensical lyrics perfectly expressed by Biana’s warm voice

_ Trivia _ : Co-written with Jensi Babblos from Jensi and the Drooly Boys and Hexting (real name Stina Heks); Sophie has said that the difficulty was fifty percent writing the song and fifty percent getting the other two to cooperate

* * *

“ _ Redwood Tree _ ” || 4:58 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with a trumpet; there is a moment of silence until the guitar and the drums start in

_ Trivia _ : The lyrics talk about standing tall and not giving in; Sophie has said it was inspired by two separate events, but she has only mentioned one: the redwood conservationist effort in California, where she lived until she was twelve

* * *

“ _ Say Yes _ ” || 2:25 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Silly, lighthearted bop about a good-old love story; fast paced guitar

_ Trivia _ : Sophie was challenged to write a happy song while participating in a game of Truth or Dare on national television; she has said that it was therapeutic to ignore the harshness of reality for a little while

* * *

“ _ Nineteen _ ” || 4:15 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Silent for nineteen seconds exactly before the instrumentals begin; one drum solo; piano accompaniment

_ Trivia _ : Won the band their fifth Grammy, this one for Song of the Year; Fitz has said that he believes it is one of the best songs they’ve ever released, due to its emotion and brutal honesty; many years later, Keefe revealed that the beeping at the beginning was a looped recording of Sophie’s heart monitor from when she was hospitalized after a fire in the middle of making the album

* * *

“ _ Little Dot _ ” || 2:17 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Energetic guitar; emphasis on the ADE chord structure; simple instrumentation

_ Trivia _ : A significant subset of Kids fans not only refer to this song as a good first song to play if one is learning the guitar, but know that, despite its simplicity, it is a go-to track to be used during transitions when the band is on tour 

* * *

“ _ Getaway Driver _ ” || 3:51 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Simple little ditty about friendship and emotional intimacy with someone; the chorus really says it all: ‘ _ You’ll be my getaway driver, and I’ll hold you tight/Between you and me we’ll make it through the night _ ’

_ Trivia _ : Sophie has said that writing the song with Dex helped the two of them fix a bond that had been damaged due to being hundreds of miles apart for months on end

* * *

“ _ Wait Up _ ” || 2:53 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Biana Vacker _ || Opens with three seconds of laughter, then cuts straight to the opening drums; storytelling lyrics about growing up as a younger or youngest sibling

_ Trivia _ : Sophie has said that she let Biana vent about being the youngest child and the only girl in her family for almost an hour, then presented her with the lyrics she had written

* * *

“ _ Since We Were _ ” || 3:40 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Fast, upbeat guitar playing; melodic piano playing; intermittent cymbal crashes; cheeky, carefree lyrics

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics penned while watching a formulaic teen movie with friends; Sophie joked that she identified more with the quote-unquote “villain’ in the movie (the on again-off again girlfriend) than the male protagonist, whom she described as jealous, clingy, and everything she hated in guys; worth noting that this track was written as Sophie was recovering from an unhealthy relationship with Jensi and the Drooly Boys’ bassist, Valin Crotecks, which likely explains the unbridled disgust directed at the guy in this track

* * *

“ _ Right Here, Right Now _ ” || 4:37 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Softer, sweeter track than its predecessor; opens with childish warbling of an indistinct tune; slow, musical guitar melody; meaningful lyrics about living in the moment and not worrying too much about the past or the future

_ Trivia _ : Sophie has said that the song was written to curb some of her own anxieties and to remind her to stop stressing so much about things she can’t control

* * *

“ _ Sprouts Grow _ ” || 4:15 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Lyrical, melodic track with occasional drum rolls; designed to take listeners in and out of lulls and to reflect the feeling of growing up

_ Trivia _ : Written after one of Sophie’s childhood friends had a shotgun wedding and Sophie realized that she was actually an adult; she described her reaction as “shocked, baffled, and wondering how I got here”, lines repeated in the bridge of this track

* * *

“ _ Built To Last _ ” || 5:07 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Jolts listeners out of the throwback lyrics of the previous track as the topic of this song is to think about one’s future; two guitar solos; one piano/drums duet

_ Trivia _ : Sophie admitted that this song accurately predicted a great many things in her life, which creeped her out a little; Biana said that she would have named her firstborn daughter after the girl in the song, but after two sons was completely over pregnancy

* * *

“ _ Always Been There _ ” || 4:44 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker _ || Starts off slow and gentle; abrupt transition to a faster, more energetic track; mixture of drums and cymbals

_ Trivia _ : The answer of sorts to the album’s opening track; written after Fitz and Sophie got together, hence the connection between the two songs; music video features real photographs from their first date; Sophie called it, ‘the only time the paparazzi were useful’

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Break My Heart _ ” || 4:34 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Keefe Sencen  _ || Light song with a devil-may-care attitude; sassy lyrics; steady drumline

_ Trivia _ : Released a full year after the  _ Everblaze _ album; released in the middle of the day with no warning


	4. Neverseen

**Neverseen (2027)**

**Certified platinum. It is easy to guess that the theme of this album is the downside of love. Certainly, the first half of the album does a marvelous job of painting that picture. However, songs like** **_When There Was An ‘Us_ ** **’,** **_Answers Out There_ ** **, and** **_New Me_ ** **tell a deeper story, one comprised of the singular wish for the world to slow down and stop spinning for long enough to catch one’s breath. Like all of their albums, the inspiration for the title is unknown, but the fact that an album that made them millions of dollars in the first month of release shares a name with the record company that almost tore them apart says as much as the band’s silence on the matter.**

* * *

“ _We’re The Brave Ones_ ” || 3:56 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee_ || Powerful, anthemic beginning to the album; enthusiastic, on-point drums; Biana’s vocals take it to the next level

 _Trivia_ : Featured on episodes of three different TV shows, as well as the series finale of _Watson's World_

* * *

“ _Love Square_ ” || 4:10 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || Starts with a ringing phone, Biana’s voice answering it, and then goes straight to the opening riff; few drums; Fitz’s guitar adds another layer to the song

 _Trivia_ : Written following a conversation with Biana about the latter’s boy problems; Sophie has admitted, and Biana has confirmed that some lines were taken right from the conversation

* * *

“ _String Quartet_ ” || 4:26 || _Released As Single_ || **#1** || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || Mysterious beginning with drums, guitar, and overlapping snippets of an argument; cuts off abruptly into lead vocals

 _Trivia_ : The argument at the beginning was staged, but the lines used are the ones Sophie remembers best from an argument she overheard her adoptive sister having with her fiancé shortly before her death

* * *

“ _This Is A Breakup Song_ ” || 3:47 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || Pointed lyrics conveying a very specific message; drums sound almost angry; guitar stays primarily on low notes, promoting the fury in the song

 _Trivia_ : Penned immediately following Sophie’s late adoptive sister’s fiancé’s confession that he was the one who sparked the fire that killed her; the betrayed feeling of the lyrics and instrumentation was developed when Sophie was still feeling raw and angry at a man she had accepted as family

* * *

“ _In The Dark (feat. The Twins)_ ” || 4:53 || _Released As Single_ || **#1** || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Tam Song_ || Turbulent and dark sound; no drums present, but a cymbal crash opens the track and Keefe provides backing vocals for both Biana and Linh; guitar is dark and emotive; a vocal showstopper

 _Trivia_ : Penned over a six-month period following Jolie Ruewen’s death; lyrics talk about taking the time to grieve and being unable to move on; the decision to feature rock duo The Twins was made after Tam sent Sophie a verse and asked her to look it over for him and she found its message to be similar to the chorus and bridge she had already written

* * *

“ _When There Was An ‘Us_ ’” || 4:21 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || More peaceful and reflective than the previous two songs, this track focuses on moving on and, little by little, life going back to normal. A heavily introspective track helped greatly by Biana’s huge vocal range and Fitz’s guitar playing skills

 _Trivia_ : Although the title references a relationship, Sophie wrote this song mourning the friendships she lost when Jolie died; the various references to ‘him’ in the song are undoubtedly referring to Brant, while ‘you’ likely refers to Jolie; Sophie claims that this track is an ode to her adoptive sister, no more, no less

* * *

“ _Hurricane_ ” || 5:32 || **#1** || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || The track opens and closes with a viola playing a haunting melody; lyrics focus on the good times in tandem with the bad; instruments enter one by one: first Keefe’s drums, then Fitz’s guitar, and finally Biana and her piano; true vocal showstopper for the album

 _Trivia_ : Sophie said that the lyrics were penned in a very emotional three hours in which she talked to, texted, and called nobody

* * *

“ _Not Enough_ ” || 4:17 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || A mostly instrumental track carried by drums; the few lyrics there are talk about needing more than you’re given

 _Trivia_ : Written for Keefe; although he is not credited, Sophie has admitted that the song was based on what she knows of his relationship with his parents

* * *

“ _Ghost Stories_ ” || 3:29 || _Released As Single_ || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || As the previous track goes right into this one, it is a little jarring to hear Biana’s vocals; guitar doesn’t join until halfway through the chorus, as the instrumentation is carried primarily by Biana’s piano

 _Trivia_ : Biana has said in interviews that this track almost named the album, but after seeing the fans reaction to it-mostly positive, but a little confused-they renamed the album and switched the order with the opening track

* * *

“ _Find The Bright Side_ ” || 3:11 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || The opening guitar riff is only the first clue that this track is pitched as happier; Biana keeps her vocals light; lyrics paint a tragic story hidden by light-hearted instrumentation

 _Trivia_ : Lyrics originally penned in _Exile_ -era; Sophie edited them and added the happier instrumentation after finding out the theme of the album

* * *

“ _What Are Best Friends For_ ” || 3:41 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Biana Vacker_ || Upbeat guitar; Keefe takes lead vocals; Biana plays piano and takes backup vocals; intermittent maracas are played by Dex Dizznee (uncredited)

 _Trivia_ : The decision to have Keefe be the lead singer of this song was not purposeful; it was the last song to be recorded, and Biana had a sore throat on the day of recording

* * *

“ _Answers Out There_ ” || 4:35 || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || Wistful lyrics talking about finding yourself; emotive vocals; guitar and drums pair well; ends with a heavy sigh 

_Trivia_ : The heavy sigh at the end was recorded by Sophie herself, although unknowingly, and marks the second time her voice is caught on recording in a Kids song

* * *

“ _New Me_ ” || 4:12 || _Lyrics by Fitz Vacker_ || No drums or guitar; the only instrumentation is on Biana’s piano; one of the strangest Kids songs every released because of the individuality of it

 _Trivia_ : Penned following Fitz’s first breakup and perhaps an unhealthy amount of Taylor Swift songs; Biana redesigned the instrumentation to fit her abilities as she was the only one to want it on the album

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _Moonlight_ ” || 3:55 || **#1** || _Released As Single_ || _Lyrics by Sophie Foster_ || Mystical, complex instrumentation combined with light, yet carrying vocals; little production

 _Trivia_ : Sophie wrote the song while she was in college in Europe; the version released was the acoustic version that Sophie insisted on recording before experimenting with anything and the version that ended up the best


	5. Lodestar

**Lodestar (2029)**

**Certified platinum. The emphasis on this album is the instrumentation. Foster’s lyrics are as clever and captivating as always, and are pleasantly interspersed with songs by both Vackers, but the true genius of this album is found in the creative melodies and emotive instrumental line. Singles** **_Hollywood, Silver and Gold,_ ** **and** **_Girls and Boys,_ ** **as well as album-opener** **_The Whole of Me_ ** **are all phenomenal songs with memorable melodies and riffs.**

* * *

“ _ The Whole of Me _ ” || 3:51 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Instrumentation intended to sound anxious and worried; guitar/piano duet; gentle yet stressed-sounding vocals

_ Trivia _ : Written as a pre-first-date song; music video starred Keefe and former  _ Watson's World _ star Natalie Freeman as the anxious parties; in real life the pair announced their relationship on social media right as the music video debuted

* * *

“ _ When You’re Twenty Three _ ” || 4:07 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Carefree, yet cautious lyrics about being free; rhythmic guitar; one piano solo

_ Trivia _ : Sequel song to “ _ Nineteen _ ”; Sophie wanted to write another song about age now that they were all a little older and wiser; like its prequel, “ _ When You’re Twenty Three _ ” flew straight to the top of the charts right after its release; both times, the band noted the irony that songs about age were written and released years after any band member was the age in the song

* * *

“ _ For You _ ” || 3:44 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Biana Vacker _ || Gentle love song with scenes (both silly and serious) from a relationship; opens and closes with piano solos; guitar and drums accompany Biana’s vocals and piano

_ Trivia _ : First song that Biana wrote entirely by herself, from the lyrics to the instrumentation/melodies, and even string quartet and solo piano adaptations of the song; an automatic shoe-in for the album, as it showed off many sides of Biana 

* * *

“ _ That’s Fine _ ” || 4:00 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Like its predecessor, a slow, moving track; narrator sings about things being ‘fine’, but wanting more than that; primarily piano and drums, with occasional guitar riffs

_ Trivia _ : The chords and drums beats were written over five years after the lyrics, as this was one of the songs Sophie wrote before they got their record deal

* * *

“ _ Hollywood _ ” || 3:36 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Dreamy, mysterious track with vague, mystical lyrics; light drums, no cymbals

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics penned after Sophie started renting an apartment closer to the studio and experienced what it was like to live so close to fame 

* * *

“ _ Silver and Gold _ ” || 5:39 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Fast-paced instrumentation intended to shake up the listener after the previous slower songs; bells and xylophone included to show off Keefe’s skills with many percussive instruments

_ Trivia _ : The title of the song only appears once in the lyrics; lyrics penned about friendship, but like many friendship songs, it was taken as a love song; flew to the top of the charts after only three weeks of release

* * *

“ _ Better Than That (feat. Dex Dizznee _ ” || 4:32 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee  _ || Similarly fast-paced song as its predecessor; sassy lyrics telling the story of coming out of a bad relationship and not acting like the other person

_ Trivia _ : Dex’s vocal debut; song was released a week before Dex revealed that he was releasing an EP; lyrics penned during a conversation between Sophie and Dex about past unhealthy friendships and relationships; song written as the ultimate snub, as the people they’d left behind were where they’d been left and Sophie and Dex were living their dreams

* * *

“ _ After It All _ ” || 5:22 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Return to the slower, more introspective sound of the album, this track focuses on music (specifically guitar and piano); 

_ Trivia _ : Errol Forkle, the band’s manager, requested a song that could make people cry and Sophie legitimately pulled these lyrics out of her pocket; Fitz said in an interview that they were all staring at her for so long that she started blushing

* * *

“ _ You’re Gonna Be _ ” || 4:12 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Only a little faster than the average song on this album; opens with drums; closes with quiet guitar riffs

_ Trivia _ : Sophie has said that she wrote the song a few months after her wedding, and had ‘babies on the brain’, which explains why the song is a conversation between a parent and a child; considering their first child was born a year after the song was released, Fitz got the message

* * *

“ _ Girls and Boys _ ” || 4:35 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee  _ || Busy, yet engaging song about growing up; earwormy instrumentation; catchy lyrics; Keefe takes lead vocals and Biana supports

_ Trivia _ : Written about the band themselves, adults who refused to fully grow up; Keefe said in an interview that Sophie also owned a well-loved copy of J.M. Barrie’s  _ Peter Pan _ when he met her, so individuals believe that the song was also based off of that

* * *

“ _ Like Her _ ” || 3:22 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Similar anxious feel as the opening track; intentionally jittery drums to promote the insecurity in this song; short piano solo;

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics paint the story of a girl who wishes to be popular and is willing to change everything about herself to get there, until she realizes she’s nothing more than a copy; lyrics penned after a meet-and-greet, when Sophie met a girl much like the narrator of the song

* * *

“ _ Doofus _ ” || 3:17 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with fast, cheerful-sounding guitar riff; shows off Biana’s vocal range; Keefe multitasks with drums and supporting vocals

_ Trivia _ : Only truly lighthearted song on the album; about a young, happy couple; rumored to have been written after the relationship Jolie and Brant had before he killed her due to Sophie’s admission that the lyrics were penned following Brant’s death

* * *

“ _ I Know You _ ” || 4:10 ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker _ || Faster, but not enthusiastic track; sweet piano melody; vocal extremes from both Biana and Keefe; on-point dums; one guitar solo showcasing Fitz’s skill; truly intended to show off each band member’s skills

_ Trivia _ : Written for the entire band to show the bond they had; the instrumentation was carefully crafted to demonstrate what each band member was best at: Fitz in lyricism and guitar, Biana in singing and piano, and Keefe in singing and percussion; Sophie is represented in every word and note, as (according to the other band members) she is its heart and soul

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Hometown _ ” || 4:13 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Biana Vacker and Fitz Vacker _ || Carefree and happy; light crosspicking; swaying vocals

_ Trivia _ : Fitz and Biana wrote the song about the band’s hometown; full of inside jokes and references that only their people would catch 


	6. Nightfall

**Nightfall (2031)**

**Certified platinum. The level of irony in this album is palpable even to new fans. It is rumored that almost half of this chart-topping album was written about the events that transpired when Neverseen Records tried to lure Sencen away from the rest of the band, as well as Black Swan Records in general, a series of events that occurred in the four years between** ** _Neverseen_** **and this album. Foster has confirmed that** ** _Lodestar_** **and** ** _Nightfall_** **were written and recorded in the middle of that struggle, which only makes songs like** ** _Jane Doe, Villain Extraordinaire_** **,** ** _Caches_** **,** ** _Left to Rot_** **,** **and** ** _Family_** **that much more impressive, considering they were penned in the midst of an internal struggle for the band.**

* * *

“ _ Too Far Away _ ” || 4:02 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Edaline Ruewen _ || Rock ballad; expresses pop, indie, and alternative vibes as well; one guitar solo and two guitar-drums duets

_ Trivia _ : Sophie flew her parents out to Los Angeles so that they could write songs together; the song she wrote with her father, called “ _ Catching _ ” was not released on any album, but was released as a single three months after this album

* * *

“ _ Gifts _ ” || 3:12 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with guitar riffs leading into a piano melody; lyrics start with happy moments, then sad ones, and a final bittersweet bridge held together by a definitive chorus

_ Trivia _ : Played exclusively at charity concerts following album release, but played at one pre-release interview

* * *

“ _ Jane Doe, Villain Extraordinaire _ ” || 4:49 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster, Fitz Vacker, Keefe Sencen, and Biana Vacker _ || Sassy, irreverent track that completely oozes disrespect; crosspick guitar; light drums

_ Trivia _ : Written about a few of the Neverseen Records execs the band met before being signed to Black Swan; when they met them again, over a decade later, Sophie was inspired to write a song

* * *

“ _ Caches _ ” || 4:32 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Another example of the duality the band loves; again about the same record execs as the previous track, but this one is slower, sweeter, and focused on searching for the rosy glow of being accepted

_ Trivia _ : Keefe said in three different interviews that this is actually one of his least favorite songs because the company it’s written about tried to break apart the band and convince him to leave Keefe, Biana, and Sophie (and Dex) behind to become a solo artist

* * *

“ _ Whether You Like It Or Not _ ” || 5:01 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Gentle, slow song about friendship and loyalty; two-minute piano solo; short drum-guitar duet

_ Trivia _ : One of the most forgotten tracks due to Sophie’s personal distaste for talking about the private events that led to this song being written

* * *

“ _ Family _ ” || 3:32 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Midtempo; simple-sounding, yet complicated chord structure

_ Trivia _ : Unsurprisingly, one of the most popular songs the band ever released because of its message, musicality, and viral music video

* * *

“ _ The Narnia Room (feat. Natalie Freeman) _ ” || 4:28 ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Natalie Freeman  _ || Fast, but mystical track pulling from the influence of old folk and indie music

_ Trivia _ : The featured artist, Natalie Freeman, in addition to dating, and eventually marrying, Keefe, spent thirteen months in the same foster home as Sophie and the two kept in touch; written about a room in the foster home they were at together

* * *

“ _ Left to Rot _ ” || 3:21 ||  _ Lyrics by Biana Vacker and Fitz Vacker _ || Harsh, yet musical track all about forgiveness (or lack thereof); guitar solo halfway through the last chorus

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics written about Fitz and Biana’s older brother, a manager for Neverseen Records with whom they had a falling out as teenagers that was never mended

* * *

“ _ Gorgodon _ ” || 3:44 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Biana Vacker _ || Repetitive strumming; nonsensical lyrics; focuses more on the instrumentation and the mix of melodies than words

_ Trivia _ : Sophie was sick with a very bad case of the flu, but was seized with inspiration; Biana could not completely translate Sophie’s mutterings and when recovered, Sophie had no memory of the day

* * *

“ _ Pass It On _ ” || 5:45 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker  _ || Long, slow song with a two minute duet between the guitar and the piano; soothing, yet no-nonsense lyrics

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics penned in forty-five minutes while Sophie and Fitz were trying to get their baby to sleep

* * *

“ _ The Showdown _ ” || 4:12 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Powerful, vocally show stopping anthem; piano solo; opens with drums

_ Trivia _ : Twenty years after it spent nine weeks topping the charts, Sophie and Fitz’s youngest daughter Solana won American Idol with this song

* * *

“ _ Divide and Conquer _ ” || 4:12 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with slow block chords from Biana’s piano; minor key; soft drum line

_ Trivia _ : One of the few Kids songs where the narrator has a name (it was Jenny, but Keefe kept mixing it up with Penny, so Sophie changed it); planned to be a single until Sophie wrote “ _ The Showdown _ ”

* * *

“ _ All Together Now _ ” || 4:52 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker _ || Enthusiastic ending to a back-and-forth album; despite evidence to the contrary, the album opened with a ballad and closed the same way; fifty second guitar-piano duet 

_ Trivia _ : Written for Sophie’s birthday party, but Sophie wouldn’t let them actually get through the song before starting to cry; Biana and Keefe took great pleasure retelling the story during five different interviews

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Catching _ ” || 5:01 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Grady Ruewen _ || Slow, danceable song; easy to waltz to, as it’s in three; repetitive guitar and piano parts as all focus is on the lyrics

_ Trivia _ : One of the songs Sophie wrote with her parents; released as a single with her father’s blessing


	7. Flashback

**Flashback (2034)**

**Certified double platinum. If** **_Lodestar_ ** **’s focus was on the instrumentation,** **_Flashback_ ** **’s is certainly on the songwriting. Foster’s lyrical collaborations with Sencen, Vacker, Dizznee, and The Twins’ Tam Song are unmatched and, arguably, this is where some of her most clever lyrics have been found. In addition to three ingenious wedding songs (none of which fans were at all expecting to get access to), the witty, humorous** **_Bramble_ ** **, and a wistful yet mature take on adolescence (** **_Adolescent Years_ ** **), the darker and more bitter** **_Overlords_ ** **, Kids’ second collaboration with The Twins, and the acoustic and beautiful** **_Letters_ ** **reveal sides of the band, and Foster in particular, sides that even the previous twelve and following three years of music never quite touch on.**

* * *

“ _ Once Upon A Time _ ” || 3:55 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Fun return to the sound of older tracks like “ _ New Around Here _ ” and “ _ Summer Fall _ ”; cheerful, happy-sounding riffs; major chords used for the entire song, a trend not followed since their third album; enthusiastic drumming

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics subtly retell many fairy tales; Sophie wrote the song for Keefe’s wedding; Biana insisted that the instrumentation and words were perfect for what they wanted the album to sound like

* * *

“ _ Grass Field _ ” || 2:12 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Simple song recognizing the beauty in the little things; primarily guitar with a small drum part; Biana’s vocals carry this short track from beginning to end without faltering once

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics penned while the band was in the middle of their  _ Lodestar Tour _ and Sophie was horribly homesick; instrumentation intentionally kept uncomplicated to promote the ‘walk down memory lane’ in this song

* * *

“ _ Bramble _ ” || 3:15 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Keefe Sencen _ || Silly, fun-loving song; big drum part; lyrics are nothing more than the rules of a made-up sport called Bramble

_ Trivia _ : Keefe walked up to Sophie one day in  _ Exile _ era and told her he wanted to invent a sport; she took him seriously and helped him through the rule-writing process, later translating those rules into this song

* * *

“ _ Blue Eyes _ ” || 4:01 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Biana Vacker _ || Slightly slower, sappier love song; leans heavily on organic instrumentation rather than production, a trait that makes it easier to perform live; low drums; melodic piano

_ Trivia _ : Coincidentally released one week before Biana’s engagement to guitarist/bassist Tam Song was announced; although the song charted, the highest it reached was #17

* * *

“ _ What Do You Think? _ ” || 4:31 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with a quiet drum solo before the guitar kicks in at full force; loud, powerhouse vocals; lyrics cover topics like insecurity and feeling unsafe in one’s own skin

_ Trivia _ : Sophie has admitted that the lyrics are based off of past experiences, but she refuses to go into details; Keefe said in one interview that he was the one who insisted it be released as a single because of its brutal honesty and general singularity

* * *

“ _ Adolescent Years _ ” || 3:56 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Fast-paced song with echoes of tracks like “ _ When You’re Twenty Three _ ” and Jensi and the Drooly Boys’ “ _ Hi(gh) _ ”; simple guitar part; piano and cymbal accompaniment

_ Trivia _ : Lyrics lament growing up, but admit happiness that “ _ all of those quiescent fears/all of those incessant tears/all those adolescent years/are behind us now but we’re still here _ ”; Sophie dedicated the song to ‘all of the people who are struggling’

* * *

“ _ Free Time _ ” || 1:57 ||  _ No Lyrics _ || Entirely instrumental track; Opens with a simple drum line; other instruments like trumpet, string bass, and, of course, Fitz and Biana’s guitar and piano respectively, come in one by one

_ Trivia _ : The only lyricless song the band ever released; the story around it was apparently that Sophie was giving the band’s manager the silent treatment for making her do a solo interview with only a few hours’ notice, so this track was born out a jam session between Fitz, Keefe, Biana, and some of their old college friends in Keefe’s basement

* * *

“ _ Letters _ ” || 4:53 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Opens and closes with acoustic guitar, a rarity for the band; even pacing; one guitar solo

_ Trivia _ : The instrumental was entirely acoustic, promoting the honest, raw quality of the track; not overly critically acclaimed, but massive fan favorite

* * *

“ _ The Answer Is Yes _ ” || 5:43 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with five seconds of synthesizers before Keefe says, “See, but I was thinking something a little more…” and the sound immediately cuts off into something much more organic; in the same vein, the song ends again with Keefe saying, “… like that”

_ Trivia _ : Hit #1 after fewer than twenty-four hours post-release; first single released for the album; slight reworking of Biana’s wedding song

* * *

“ _ Overlords (feat. The Twins) _ ” || 5:00 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Tam Song _ || Darker, more mysterious track synonymous with The Twins’ style; opens with a drum solo

_ Trivia _ : Written about Tam and Linh’s father and Sophie’s plethora of abusive foster parents

* * *

“ _ Tell The Truth _ ” || 3:50 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Swaying, waltz-like track written in 3 instead of 4; engaging melody; easy to dance to

_ Trivia _ : Written for Marella Redek’s fifth studio album, but was cut due to there being more tracks than the album had space for

* * *

“ _ Trainwreckers _ ” || 4:33 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Fast anthemic track designed to be easily singable and playable; piano solo near the end

_ Trivia _ : Biana’s piano adaptation was released with the album and is known in the piano soloist community as one of the few piano adaptations to be as easily playable as the original

* * *

“ _ Forevermore _ ” || 4:29 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Fitz Vacker _ || Doo-wop ballad serving as a wedding song; three extremely short guitar solos

_ Trivia _ : Sophie and Fitz’s actual wedding song; never released as a single, but was the most played song on the top three music streaming services for twelve weeks and was used in countless weddings for decades after the album’s release; as such received an honorary chart topping acknowledgement due to fan support and influence 

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Good For Me _ ” || 3:58 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Opens with soft acoustic guitar and closes with soft piano chords; the complicated melodies that Fitz is so famous for are present in this track, but they are played exclusively acoustically 

_ Trivia _ : Sophie and Dex wrote this song over a period of nine months because of constantly conflicting schedules 


	8. Legacy

**Legacy (2037)**

**With a title like the one revealed four weeks before album release, many predicted that this album would be the band’s last. And what a sendoff it is! With compositions from every album era, and participation from actual Kids’ kids,** **_Legacy_ ** **feels like the perfect conclusion. Bittersweet tracks like** **_For Every Hello_ ** **,** **_If Today_ ** **, and** **_Age of Us_ ** **perfectly complement the sassy** **_Don’t Give In_ ** **, soft and heartfelt tracks** **_Little Hands, Little Feet_ ** **and** **_Call It Love_ ** **, and even the band’s classic deceptive additions** **_Remember Me_ ** **and** **_Dear Mom and Dad_ ** **. Foster and Vacker’s oldest performs like she was born singing, which, given her family, she might have been.**

* * *

“ _ For Every Hello (feat. Sophie Foster) _ ” || 4:12 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker  _ || Simple, repetitive strumming on an acoustic guitar; soaring vocals; opens with a myriad of voices in several different languages saying hello; closes with the same voices saying goodbye in as many languages

_ Trivia _ : The first clue that this album was going to be their last, as Fitz had never before written or co-written the opening track of an album; also the only time Sophie’s voice was officially featured in a track

* * *

“ _ Little Hands, Little Feet _ ” || 3:31 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Slow song with a dreamlike musical quality to it; Fitz’s rather rough, unpolished vocals give the track the second dimension it needs; soft piano accompaniment (Biana)

_ Trivia _ : Started after the birth of Sophie and Fitz’s first child and finished after the reveal they were expecting again; seeing as Fitz was the first member of the instrumental part of the band to become a parent, Biana and Keefe insisted that he be its vocalist

* * *

“ _ How Could I Have Known _ ” || 4:15 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Lyrics talk about accountability and thinking of the consequences of one’s actions, a deep topic for this energetic track; one drum solo

_ Trivia _ : The cover by pop-rock group Jensi and the Drooly Boys eventually supersedes the original in plays and popularity

* * *

“ _ Plain To See _ ” || 2:47 ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Simplistic love-song lyrics; boppy feel; mostly drums and piano instrumentally

_ Trivia _ : Fitz was on paternity leave during the recording for this track, hence why the guitar is less impressive, as they had to hire a guitarist on short notice

* * *

“ _ Sojourn to the Outskirts _ ” || 6:23 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Dex Dizznee _ || Complicated instrumentalization; more music than lyrics; features classical violinist Maruca Heptor 

_ Trivia _ : Dex wanted to try having the music telling the story, rather than words; Sophie unintentionally sent him lyrics in the middle of his creative experimentation, but they fit so well with his message that he felt he had to include them

* * *

“ _ Broken _ ” || 3:14 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Opens with slow picking of a banjo, which slowly speeds up until the drums cut in; sassy, good-natured vocals; fun, uncomplicated lyrics

_ Trivia _ : Written during the filming of a documentary about the band; the clip of Sophie throwing a pencil at the camera and swearing at the cameraman in three different languages went viral almost immediately

* * *

“ _ Remember Me _ ” || 4:45 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Fun, good-humored song with a sad twist ending; broken piano chords; simple drums

_ Trivia _ : Commissioned by Black Swan Records execs to get revenge against rival record company Neverseen Records who signed a group both companies had been chasing; knocked that group’s song out of the number one spot

* * *

“ _ Call It Love _ ” || 4:31 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster _ || Sweet love song subtly showing scenes from four different love stories; one guitar solo; opens and closes with piano

_ Trivia _ : Penned before the band got their record deal, and discarded for every previous album because Biana couldn’t make it through the song without crying from the range of emotions portrayed

* * *

“ _ Dear Mom and Dad _ ” || 4:20 || ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Upbeat tempo; storytelling lyrics; cheerful vocals intended ironically as the narrator details all of the terrible things that are afflicting her in various letters to her parents; each one ends with a directive not to worry, and to maybe send a missed/forgotten item

_ Trivia _ : All of the events that transpire to the narrator of the song happened to different members of the band in real life, although not in the order they are portrayed

* * *

“ _ If Today (feat. Avery Vacker) _ ” || 4:11 ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker _ || Sad, yet sweet song about all different kinds of love; gentle plucking of both guitar and banjo; soft piano accompaniment; no drums, but Keefe and Avery trade off vocals

_ Trivia _ : Sophie and Fitz’s first daughter Avery provides most of the harmonies; despite only being five when the song was recorded, her voice was so perfect for how Biana wanted the song to sound that even her parents were persuaded; Fitz had her sing with her eyes closed so that she could pretend she was just at home having fun; she nailed it on the third try

* * *

“ _ Don’t Give In _ ” || 4:14 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster  _ || Return to the original teenage attitude of  _ Keeper _ and  _ Exile _ , the message of this track is all rebellion; easy-to-learn instrumentation and vocals

_ Trivia _ : Last song added the album, as Keefe wanted a throwback song, and Sophie had over a decade of material for him to choose from; written when Sophie believed that Grady and Edaline Ruewen were going to send her back into the foster system

* * *

“ _ Whatever _ ” || 2:36 ||  _ Lyrics by Biana Vacker and Tam Song _ || Carefree, ironic lyrics about a celebrity who has no cares and no worries; deceptively sloppy instrumentation; piano/drums duet

_ Trivia _ : Written after an anonymous letter to the band accused them of faking emotions and ‘having no idea what real life was like because they were rich and famous’; Sophie was intentionally kept in the dark about the whole situation

* * *

“ _ Age of Us _ ” || 3:42 ||  **#1** ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker  _ || Moderate speed; opens with Biana’s vocals; one short (for Fitz) guitar solo; closes with all of the members of the band thanking the fans for fifteen years of memories

_ Trivia _ : Intentionally the metaphorical ‘closing of the book’, as the title represents the end of the era that “ _ New Around Here _ ” referenced the beginning of; additionally, the song runs for the same amount of time as “ _ New Around Here _ ”

* * *

* * *

**Bonus:**

“ _ Avery’s Song _ ” || 5:33 ||  **#1** ||  _ Released As Single  _ ||  _ Lyrics by Sophie Foster and Fitz Vacker  _ || Piano-guitar duet with constant support from the drums; opens and closes soft and lullaby-like but upbeat, mid tempo middle

_ Trivia _ : Written, of course, for Sophie and Fitz’s oldest daughter, Avery; the first hint that Avery had a role in the album; the ceremonial passing of the torch, as several of the band’s songs are about their own youth

**Author's Note:**

> Like the tags said, this is cross-posed on fan fiction.net, which does not have the full story yet. Therefore, y'all are getting more than they get (at least for the moment). I've been posting on there for a lot longer (four and a half years) but I'm trying to spread my wings so here I am. I love kudos and reviews are my lifeblood, so please consider leaving me some. Thank you and have a wonderful day!


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